Shotgun Kisses

Written by Skye. Inspired from art by Ashley Koepke.

    Going to every single Remains show was kind of a tradition for Rachel, Skunk, and me.
     I spilled outta Fitzgerald’s three sheets to the wind and nearly pissing myself. Send My Remains To Broadway had put on their annual benefit show for victims of drunk driving, Something the band had started three years ago in memory of a fallen fan.
     Around two in the morning Fitz’s staff finally kicked all the punks out and closed their doors. It’s times like this I’m glad Skunk is a straightedger, he’s always on top of herding us drunks home and making sure we’re safe. Rachel and me collapsed on a bus stop bench. The next bus would take us home.

     Rachel seemed more exhausted than any of us. I held her close in my arms, letting her rest her head on my chest.
     “Tell me a story, Frenchie.”

     “Can’t… Too drunk, M’love.” I couldn’t gather the words for her, so I tried my best to just enjoy our moment together. We had very few these days.

     Lifting Rachel’s head up, I slobishly leaned in for a kiss. She kissed back. Although she wasn’t mine anymore I could tell she still loved me, and I still loved her deeply. 

    Her lips were like shotguns, twin barrels that blew you away in one kiss. Kinda funny considering I’m the chain smoker, I must taste like gunpowder.

         

    The 23A was right on time. Skunk hopped on board first, letting me say goodbye to Rachel in private. She didn’t live on the east side with us and it would be a life time until I got to see her again.
     We gave each other short, intimate, goodbyes.

     A couple sweet pecks, a hug, and two impassioned “I love you“‘s.

     By the time I boarded the bus Rachel had already vanished, I’m sure she only stuck around for me.

         

     The whole ride home was spent with tears raining from my face as I silently sobbed to myself. Skunk patted my back trying to comfort me.

         
     After unlocking the door to our apartment, Skunk said he had something to give me as soon as he changed. 

     I finally got to piss after holding it in since we left Fitzgerald’s. 

     Skunk came out of his room holding a skinny blue vase with a dozen roses in them. It made me giggle when I noticed he had changed from his patched up crust punk pants into Star Wars pajamas. I called him a dork, he just stuck his tongue out at me.

         
     “I went ahead and bought the flowers for you this year, we’ll go put them on Rachel’s grave in the morning like we always do.” Skunk said standing in the threshold of my room.

     “Thanks, Skunk. You’re the best.” I whispered, slightly sniffling and sobbing again.

     Skunk gave me a hug goodnight and told me things would get better and that we would get to see Rachel again at next years benefit.
     I refused to wait a whole year to see her again.

   

     After I was certain Skunk had fallen asleep, I took out the 12-gauge from my closet. I hadn’t had enough shotgun flavored kisses for one night. Pointing the Remington toward my mouth, I gave the twin barrels a sweet little peck.

         
     It was the last kiss to ever blow me away.

Reviews

[yashmita13]

really good work, I guess there is a lot of emotion in the words, but the articulation of it was done well...

[Indestructible Books]

Thank you! This story is dear to me and that means a lot. :)
- Skye